Word of caution for aspiring CS majors

[Anonymous]

My spouse is in tech. They aren't hiring folks with CS degrees, but any degree and "training" them for the low level jobs (problem is most aren't good as they don't have the background) or hiring abroad as they can pay them less.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are English majors in high demand?

Kids that have actual social skills are in demand more than. Kids that can communicate effectively, look people in the eye when talking, write effectively. Kids with great time management skills and EQ.

All of these executive functioning disorder/adhd Geniuses glued to a screen, not so much.

I have people skill. I'm good at dealing with people. What the hell is wrong with you people

https://youtu.be/hNuu9CpdjIo?si=Ieq1j7xOFWUusUDI

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a liberal arts degree (economics and something soft) from the highest ranked school you can.

Recruiting for finance, consulting, and corporate /strategy roles are much much easier if you are in English and economics major coming from Rice or Vanderbilt or Emory compared to CS at Purdue…..

Ask around people!!!

This. College is not trade school, despite the pervasive and lingering lower middle class belief to the contrary.

This is 2024, not 1954, despite how some elite people want to think it is. College is no longer about a liberal art education, and then get some job because you have a degree. That's 1954 thinking. This is not how it works today, in 2024.

The same people whose family money and connections allowed them to view college in 1954 as a place for kids to discover themselves still views college that way. The difference is all of the middle class and even upper middle class kids whose families don't have enough money to let their kid spend 350k on a history degree in the vague hope that some conglomerate will hire them into a management training program

[Anonymous]

I am a big proponent of liberal arts education, but I think it is also important to build skills. It's not solely about what you major in but about the skills you bring to the table. I'd encourage humanities majors to learn to code, read financial statements, learn to put together a business plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a liberal arts degree (economics and something soft) from the highest ranked school you can.

Recruiting for finance, consulting, and corporate /strategy roles are much much easier if you are in English and economics major coming from Rice or Vanderbilt or Emory compared to CS at Purdue…..

Ask around people!!!

This. College is not trade school, despite the pervasive and lingering lower middle class belief to the contrary.

This is 2024, not 1954, despite how some elite people want to think it is. College is no longer about a liberal art education, and then get some job because you have a degree. That's 1954 thinking. This is not how it works today, in 2024.

As thé decades pass, the liberal arts majors will have a better understanding of the world and how it works that the person who is not interested in anything that isn’t tech or tech-related. The non liberal arts major won’t even realize what they can’t understand because of their lack of knowledge of history, arts, and humanities. Old age will be difficult for them because they just. won’t. get. it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just returned from a college reunion, and my friends' kids who majored in CS and graduated last year and this year are all un- or under-employed. It seems pretty obvious to me that low-level CS jobs are the first to be gobbled up by AI. If you go to a top school, it truly does not matter what you major in. Most of those kids who want top jobs in tech, finance, consulting will get them. Majoring in something skill-based is more important if you attend even a slightly lower-ranked school. This is why people work so hard to secure spots in the Ivy-plus schools.

Again the data doesn't agree with your imagination.

Harvard english major 4 year out median salary = $49,675
https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?166027-Harvard-University&fos_code=2301&fos_credential=3

I have no doubt the average pay is lower. Many English majors want to go into lower paying fields like journalism, teaching, etc. But I guarantee you that English majors from Harvard who want to do into finance, tech, or consulting can do so pretty easily. I know plenty of kids from T20 schools who did.

This

If you want to work in an investment bank as an English major from Harvard, you will be able to. However, many of them go on to be grad students and later get their PhD or work in publishing. Those salaries are inevitably lower.

Also many people in these types of majors tend to come from generational wealth - they aren't looking for $$$ jobs. But the ones that do are able to find them. At the end of the day it’s about the T20 school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a liberal arts degree (economics and something soft) from the highest ranked school you can.

Recruiting for finance, consulting, and corporate /strategy roles are much much easier if you are in English and economics major coming from Rice or Vanderbilt or Emory compared to CS at Purdue…..

Ask around people!!!

This. College is not trade school, despite the pervasive and lingering lower middle class belief to the contrary.

Agree. It’s a LMC/immigrant view of education’s role.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know if this new is overblown but it did convince my daughter to not apply for CS programs. She’s now “undeclared” …

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a liberal arts degree (economics and something soft) from the highest ranked school you can.

Recruiting for finance, consulting, and corporate /strategy roles are much much easier if you are in English and economics major coming from Rice or Vanderbilt or Emory compared to CS at Purdue…..

Ask around people!!!

This. College is not trade school, despite the pervasive and lingering lower middle class belief to the contrary.

This is 2024, not 1954, despite how some elite people want to think it is. College is no longer about a liberal art education, and then get some job because you have a degree. That's 1954 thinking. This is not how it works today, in 2024.

As thé decades pass, the liberal arts majors will have a better understanding of the world and how it works that the person who is not interested in anything that isn’t tech or tech-related. The non liberal arts major won’t even realize what they can’t understand because of their lack of knowledge of history, arts, and humanities. Old age will be difficult for them because they just. won’t. get. it.

That's your imagination.
The employers who actually pay don't agree with your imagination.
The employers who pay are the ones matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a liberal arts degree (economics and something soft) from the highest ranked school you can.

Recruiting for finance, consulting, and corporate /strategy roles are much much easier if you are in English and economics major coming from Rice or Vanderbilt or Emory compared to CS at Purdue…..

Ask around people!!!

This. College is not trade school, despite the pervasive and lingering lower middle class belief to the contrary.

Agree. It’s a LMC/immigrant view of education’s role.

Well, I do not agree that liberal arts education was ever a plus except in trust fund circles, however those "immigrants" are taking over most CEO positions and they could care less about what your aristocratic leanings think and PS they wont hire your kids with a great essay writing ability but rather kids with real skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What market isn't saturated?

Also, this is why it is so hard to get admitted to a CS program -- they aren't expanding the seats to meet student demand unless there is market demand.

UMD CP actually halved the CS class, but I think that was due to too many students who are not ready for it being interested in it, and wanting to keep the classes more intimate. UMD is also developing its AI/ML programs.

Job market is cyclical, but low level IT jobs have all been offshored. The big thing now is AI and ML, both of which are related to CS degrees. Some colleges are now starting to offer AI majors. That's the next big thing.

UMD may limit seats to increase demand for their program, but they are not adjusting to match the job market. Schools could care less about that.

I know UMD CS grad this cycle who does not have a job, including from previous internships. Planning a gap year abroad teaching English.

yes, but even in boon years, there are many students who majored in non CS who can't find jobs.

There are very few industries where a job is guaranteed: home health service, teachers, especially special ed teachers. But, no one is pushing their kids into those fields.

True.

There are plenty of jobs out there. Very few worth a potential $200k college investment.

CS is one of them.

As are the vast majority of majors. Outside of T10 and maybe a couple of majors (and I would include CS), most majors aren't worth $60K+/year investment, which is why DC is at UMD majoring in CS rather than oos/private.

Did your kid get into a T25 school and turn it down for UMD?

If so, that is a very outdated immigrant/working-class view of the role, purpose, and function of a college education

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a liberal arts degree (economics and something soft) from the highest ranked school you can.

Recruiting for finance, consulting, and corporate /strategy roles are much much easier if you are in English and economics major coming from Rice or Vanderbilt or Emory compared to CS at Purdue…..

Ask around people!!!

This. College is not trade school, despite the pervasive and lingering lower middle class belief to the contrary.

Agree. It’s a LMC/immigrant view of education’s role.

I think everyone agrees on this one at least, and pointed it out a few times earlier.
Trust fund kids won't major in hard stuff.
They are afford to go easy and major in easy stuff that are not marketable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a liberal arts degree (economics and something soft) from the highest ranked school you can.

Recruiting for finance, consulting, and corporate /strategy roles are much much easier if you are in English and economics major coming from Rice or Vanderbilt or Emory compared to CS at Purdue…..

Ask around people!!!

This. College is not trade school, despite the pervasive and lingering lower middle class belief to the contrary.

This is 2024, not 1954, despite how some elite people want to think it is. College is no longer about a liberal art education, and then get some job because you have a degree. That's 1954 thinking. This is not how it works today, in 2024.

As thé decades pass, the liberal arts majors will have a better understanding of the world and how it works that the person who is not interested in anything that isn’t tech or tech-related. The non liberal arts major won’t even realize what they can’t understand because of their lack of knowledge of history, arts, and humanities. Old age will be difficult for them because they just. won’t. get. it.

That's your imagination.
The employers who actually pay don't agree with your imagination.
The employers who pay are the ones matter.

You are entitled to your view as I am to mine.

Note my spouse and I both graduated with humanities majors from a T10 university.

Our combined annual income averages between $4.5-6million a year.
We are definitely not alone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What market isn't saturated?

Also, this is why it is so hard to get admitted to a CS program -- they aren't expanding the seats to meet student demand unless there is market demand.

UMD CP actually halved the CS class, but I think that was due to too many students who are not ready for it being interested in it, and wanting to keep the classes more intimate. UMD is also developing its AI/ML programs.

Job market is cyclical, but low level IT jobs have all been offshored. The big thing now is AI and ML, both of which are related to CS degrees. Some colleges are now starting to offer AI majors. That's the next big thing.

UMD may limit seats to increase demand for their program, but they are not adjusting to match the job market. Schools could care less about that.

I know UMD CS grad this cycle who does not have a job, including from previous internships. Planning a gap year abroad teaching English.

yes, but even in boon years, there are many students who majored in non CS who can't find jobs.

There are very few industries where a job is guaranteed: home health service, teachers, especially special ed teachers. But, no one is pushing their kids into those fields.

True.

There are plenty of jobs out there. Very few worth a potential $200k college investment.

CS is one of them.

As are the vast majority of majors. Outside of T10 and maybe a couple of majors (and I would include CS), most majors aren't worth $60K+/year investment, which is why DC is at UMD majoring in CS rather than oos/private.

Did your kid get into a T25 school and turn it down for UMD?

If so, that is a very outdated immigrant/working-class view of the role, purpose, and function of a college education

again with your immigrant thing...look at any AIME, other math competition, most awards--they are won by immigrants..sorry you dont like it but its a fact

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What market isn't saturated?

Also, this is why it is so hard to get admitted to a CS program -- they aren't expanding the seats to meet student demand unless there is market demand.

UMD CP actually halved the CS class, but I think that was due to too many students who are not ready for it being interested in it, and wanting to keep the classes more intimate. UMD is also developing its AI/ML programs.

Job market is cyclical, but low level IT jobs have all been offshored. The big thing now is AI and ML, both of which are related to CS degrees. Some colleges are now starting to offer AI majors. That's the next big thing.

UMD may limit seats to increase demand for their program, but they are not adjusting to match the job market. Schools could care less about that.

I know UMD CS grad this cycle who does not have a job, including from previous internships. Planning a gap year abroad teaching English.

yes, but even in boon years, there are many students who majored in non CS who can't find jobs.

There are very few industries where a job is guaranteed: home health service, teachers, especially special ed teachers. But, no one is pushing their kids into those fields.

True.

There are plenty of jobs out there. Very few worth a potential $200k college investment.

CS is one of them.

As are the vast majority of majors. Outside of T10 and maybe a couple of majors (and I would include CS), most majors aren't worth $60K+/year investment, which is why DC is at UMD majoring in CS rather than oos/private.

Did your kid get into a T25 school and turn it down for UMD?

If so, that is a very outdated immigrant/working-class view of the role, purpose, and function of a college education

NP, we are what we are. College, work or military.